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SAPHA - South Asian Public Health Association - logo

SAPHA Spotlight Series - November 2024

South Asian Public Health Association Spotlight Series



SEASON 1 | EPISODE 11

South Asian Public Health Association Spotlight Series

SAPHA continues its journey into the world of podcasts with our latest installment! Introducing the eighth episode of the South Asian Public Health Association Spotlight Series, where we dive deep into the extraordinary careers and journeys of public health pioneers, with a special focus on the South Asian community.

In commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the South Asian Public Health Association, each episode promises enlightening discussions, motivational narratives, and an intimate exploration of the impactful contributions made by former SAPHA board members, shaping the landscape of public health.

We present our eleventh episode of the series featuring Isha Weerasinghe, MSc

Our eleventh episode features Isha Weerasinghe. Isha is the Associate Director for Mental Health and Well-Being at the Center for Law and Social Policy, focusing on youth, young adults, and mothers. She previously served as Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Association for Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations , where she worked on improving access to culturally and linguistically appropriate care for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AA&NHPIs). She also served on the Board of Directors for SAPHA on the membership committee and executive committee during 2015- 2017. 

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Learn more about Isha below:

Isha Weerasinghe is the Center for Law and Social Policy’s associate director of mental health and well-being. She works on reframing and making improvements to the mental health system, focusing on communities of color and other communities on the margins. Ms. Weerasinghe previously was the director of policy and advocacy at the Association for Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO), where she advocated for better access to linguistically concordant and culturally responsive care for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AA&NHPIs). She also led/participated in city and national coalition building and provided policy guidance on the local and national-levels, for AA&NHPI-serving community health centers and organizations, in health access and equity. Ms. Weerasinghe conducted community based participatory research, as well as local and state policy advocacy at New York University’s Center for the Study of Asian American Health (CSAAH), working within New York City and New York state. She started her federal policy career to improve the lives of people living with hepatitis B. Isha has a B.A. in biology from Bryn Mawr College, and a M.Sc. in health policy and demography from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She is the board Vice Chair of Fihankra Akoma Ntoaso (FAN DC) and is the board Chair of 9to5: National Association of Working Women.

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Subscribe to SAPHA’s Spotlight Series to hear more captivating discussions with trailblazers in public health.

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Thanks for your interest in SAPHA!

We are continually striving to enhance the health and well-being of our diverse South Asian communities. Through advocacy, education, and meaningful community partnerships, we are dedicated to making a positive impact. Learn more about our mission or contribute to our cause by visiting sapha.org!

If you enjoyed this podcast and want to support our efforts in creating engaging content, please consider making a donation.

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South Asian Public Health Association Spotlight Series



SEASON 1 | EPISODE 10

South Asian Public Health Association Spotlight Series

SAPHA continues its journey into the world of podcasts with our latest installment! Introducing the tenth episode of the South Asian Public Health Association Spotlight Series, where we dive deep into the extraordinary careers and journeys of public health pioneers, with a special focus on the South Asian community.

In commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the South Asian Public Health Association, each episode promises enlightening discussions, motivational narratives, and an intimate exploration of the impactful contributions made by former and current SAPHA board members, shaping the landscape of public health.

We present our newest episode of the series featuring Shilpa Patel, PhD, MPH

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Our tenth episode features Dr. Shilpa Patel. Dr. Patel was the Co-Chair/Co-President of SAPHA from 2004-2006 and also an author of one of the chapters of SAPHA’s monumental Brown Paper. She brings over 24 years of public health experience. Throughout her career, she has designed and implemented epidemiological and behavioral studies both domestically and globally, with a strong focus on HIV prevention, and the intersectionality of HIV and violence. Dr. Patel’s previous roles include Senior Scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Global Health Center; and the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention. Specifically, through the PEPFAR program, she served as a country advisor for the implementation of the DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe) Initiative, which aims at decreasing rates of HIV among adolescent girls and young women in countries with the highest burden. She also served as the Co-Chair of the Mental Health and Substance Use Workgroup in the Division of HIV at the CDC. In addition, Dr. Patel teaches and mentors students as an Adjunct Professor at the Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Patel has also presented at numerous scientific conferences and has co-authored several publications in peer-reviewed journals. 

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12/3 Giving Tuesday

As we approach Giving Tuesday, we reflect on the positive impact we've made and the important work still to come. At SAPHA, we are committed to enhancing the health and well-being of South Asian communities through advocacy, education, and meaningful partnerships. With your support, we can continue making a real difference.

This Giving Tuesday, we invite you to join us in this mission.

Your generous donation helps us create and share valuable content, including this podcast, which highlights issues that matter most to South Asians.

Together, we can bring you even more insightful episodes, expand our reach, and create lasting change.

Visit sapha.org to learn more about our mission and donate below.

Thank you for being a vital part of the SAPHA community!

DONATE

Subscribe to SAPHA’s Spotlight Series to hear more captivating discussions with trailblazers in public health.



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South Asian Public Health Association Spotlight Series

SEASON 1 | EPISODE 9

South Asian Public Health Association Spotlight Series

SAPHA continues its journey into the world of podcasts with our latest installment! Introducing the ninth episode of the South Asian Public Health Association Spotlight Series, where we dive deep into the extraordinary careers and journeys of public health pioneers, with a special focus on the South Asian community.

In commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the South Asian Public Health Association, each episode promises enlightening discussions, motivational narratives, and an intimate exploration of the impactful contributions made by former and current SAPHA board members, shaping the landscape of public health.

We present our ninth episode of the series featuring Samira Khan, MPH

Our ninth episode features Samira Khan, MPH, the current President of SAPHA. Samira has been with SAPHA since 2018 and has been serving as the President since 2022. She is also the Assistant Director of Research and Clinical Initiatives in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine, where she collaborates with divisional leadership to spearhead the development of a Respiratory Service Line and create comprehensive dashboards to track performance, quality metrics, and health outcomes in both inpatient and outpatient care. Tune in to hear Samira’s journey in public health, the challenges faced by South Asian communities in health, and her insights into SAPHA’s impact over the past 25 years and its plans for the future.

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Learn more about Samira Khan below:

Samira Khan, MPH has been with SAPHA for 7 years, starting on the fundraising committee in 2018, advancing to Secretary in 2021, and becoming President in 2022. Alongside the board, she has led SAPHA’s efforts in advocacy, research, health education, and partnerships to address critical health issues in South Asian communities. Under her leadership, SAPHA recently secured $20,000 from NCAPA to address health misinformation and advance racial equity, and received subawards for two NIH grants. SAPHA has also gained national recognition, receiving invitations to the White House and participating in roundtables with the Secretary of Health and other key figures. Samira’s participation in programs like the Climate Health Organizing Fellowship and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Pursuing Equity Learning Network has strengthened her advocacy for health equity.

Samira received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the CUNY City College of New York, where she completed an honors thesis on the cognitive, affective, and social correlates of avolition in individuals with schizophrenia and pursued a global health study abroad at the Comprehensive Rural Health Project (CRPH) in Jamkhed, India. During her time at CRPH she studied international health policy and community based primary healthcare models. She later earned a Master’s in Public Health from Hofstra University, where her research focused on provider communication and health behaviors in Muslim populations.

In her current role as Assistant Director of Research and Clinical Initiatives at Mount Sinai, Samira collaborates with divisional leadership to develop and implement strategic initiatives to improve inpatient and outpatient quality of care, optimize performance, and enhance patient outcomes. She oversees the development of comprehensive dashboards to track key indicators and works closely with pulmonary disease management leads to ensure data-driven decision-making. Additionally, Samira is also the Research Manager for Dr. Neomi Shah’s lab, where the team investigates the link between obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease using advanced techniques in epidemiology, cardiovascular imaging, proteomics, and machine learning. In this capacity, she manages clinical research operations, grant applications, project development, and ensures regulatory compliance across multiple studies.

With nearly a decade of experience, Samira combines her expertise in clinical research, strategic planning, and health equity to drive impactful change in healthcare, focusing on improving access and outcomes for marginalized communities.

Listen to us on Youtube!

Listen to us on Spotify!

Subscribe to SAPHA’s Spotlight Series to hear more captivating discussions with trailblazers in public health.

YouTube

Spotify

Thanks for your interest in SAPHA!

We are continually striving to enhance the health and well-being of our diverse South Asian communities. Through advocacy, education, and meaningful community partnerships, we are dedicated to making a positive impact. Learn more about our mission or contribute to our cause by visiting sapha.org!

If you enjoyed this podcast and want to support our efforts in creating engaging content, please consider making a donation.

DONATE

Subscribe to SAPHA’s Spotlight Series to hear more captivating discussions with trailblazers in public health.



Follow us on Youtube and Spotify to be the first to access our podcasts!

Know someone who might enjoy these emails?

Ask them to sign up for our email list here.

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